TalkTalk misery.

helpless12

Hi, I would love for someone to give me a bit of advice, basically I set up an account on behalf of my mother with talktalk in August 2015. It was all good to go but I realised the number had changed and contacted them and asked if my mother could keep her old number, I was told yes, no problem.
Then we received another router and welcome pack, I rang them and told them we didn't need another router as we already had one and they said just to keep it, everything was fine they had to do this to change the number.After multiple texts about go live dates and engineer visits, and many phone calls querieng different go live dates etc, my mothers broadband package was set up.

All has been fine and dandy until a couple of weeks ago and after many visits to the gp my mother was diagnosed with dementia,we knew there was a problem but did not realise the extent of it, as a family we are devastated and have to began to sort through a few things like drawers and wardrobes, where we discovered hundreds of unopened letters. We also checked our mothers bank statements and were surprised to see a payment of £56 to talktalk, I rang them to ask why my mothers bill was so high and was informed it is no different than usual, I asked why this was the case to be told because your mother has two accounts with us!
I was gobsmacked when they told me, it was our fault as we should have cancelled the original one, I know I made multiple calls about the fact my mother had multiple routers and go live dates, they said I'd only made one call to open the account and they told me then I should call and cancel the other account, I did say that that was a big fat untruth, because I would have had to make more than one call to change the telephone number.They also said they had sent email bills and paper bills, my mother has never opened an email and I told them that now we've found the username and password I could give it them and they could see no emails have been opened ever, also all the letters unopened from talktalk which we'd found.
I contacted the cab who advised me to email talk talk and mention
the supply of goods services act 1982 and as professionals talktalk have a duty to provide reasonable care and skills to rectify this problem. And to also ask which ombudsman they use.
After some very heated telephone conversations, I was finally offered for them to waiver the cancellation fee of £6 (for the account I didn't know about) and one month free, I told them I wanted all the money repaid and they refused.
I have had a few missed calls from customer service managers and when I ring back I get someone different.
The last time I spoke to them and was told I will not get a refund as it was our fault for not cancelling the account of which we had no knowledge, I asked for the number of the ombudsman, who I have phoned and have until the end of march, 8 weeks from the original complaint date, to wait to raise the issue with them.
I am so upset that they are doing this.
Any advice would be appreciated.

lammy82

As there is only one phone line at the property it would have impossible for your mother to have been using two accounts. They have been taking money for a service that it would have been impossible for your mother to have used.

I suggest a clearly worded letter focusing on the facts and stating that the duplicate payments had been overlooked, giving them 14 days to refund the full amount owed.

If they don't respond accordingly then send a Letter before Action.

helpless12

Thank you Lammy 82,
I have pointed that out to them on the telephone and also the fact they keep telling me it is two seperate accounts then why is there just a single payment with the same ref. number going out of the bank.
I will put this is an email.
Thank you again.

ARandomMiser

To me it sounds similar to sending a letter to someone saying 'let me know if you do not receive this'.

Good luck with getting a suitable resolution.